The Lawrenceville address on his qualifying forms will be the same as his parents' address, but the young Republican likes his chances at election. After all, the newly created multi-member 70th District office he's eyeing -- wedged between Interstate 85 and Georgia Highway 316 in south and central Gwinnett -- includes his old high school, the movie theater where he now works and his parents' neighborhood.

''I think I have a fair shot,'' the Collins Hill High School graduate said. ''I have the drive, the locality.''

His UGA professor of legislative process, Charles Bullock, agrees. The shuffling of districts during redistricting could work in Larsen's favor, because Republican House incumbents serving the area -- Charles Bannister, Scott Dix and Jeff Williams -- each lost constituents in the redistricting process, making them weaker as incumbents, Bullock said.

Also, starting young in politics, he points out, has worked for other Georgia college students running shoe-leather campaigns that boasted more energy and volunteers than they did campaign donations.

State Rep. Danae Roberts, R-Columbus, was only two months out of the university when the UGA graduate won the right to represent the Republican party, running a campaign she put together in her sorority house.

In the 1980s, Bullock said, Georgia State University student Able Mabel Thomas caused a sensation when she unseated incumbent Grace Hamilton, who was the first African-American woman ever elected to the state General Assembly.

That Thomas had her name legally changed from ''Mabel'' to ''Able Mabel'' didn't hurt her political fortunes either, he said.

When it comes to legislative process, new graduates ''probably know more about it than the average freshman legislator,'' Bullock said.

However, a fresh pedigree from the state university system isn't necessarily a ticket to elective office, as Chad Renegar found out in the 1990s during an unsuccessful bid for a state House seat, representing Athens.

Larsen, running to ensure representation for his community, is seeking one of three positions in the new district.

A political junkie since his days on middle school student council, Larsen served during the last General Assembly session as an intern for the House's Health and Ecology Committee and has been active in state and local Republican politics.

He has friends willing to spend hours blanketing neighborhoods with campaign signs, and if donations don't pile up, he said he's got several thousand dollars socked away from his job managing an AMC movie theater in Gwinnett.

''I told him I would certainly be supportive,'' said Richard Marshall, Larsen's high school band director.

His platform, still under study, will include an emphasis on the retention and hiring of teachers, along with opposition to turning Ga. 316 into a toll road. A toll road would be too expensive for students like him who are regular Ga. 316 commuters, he said, and slowdowns caused by toll booths could lock I-85 northbound traffic solid. He favors improving existing roads rather than building the Northern Arc, a limited-access highway cutting east to west through Gwinnett, Forsyth, Cherokee and Bartow counties.

''The Northern Arc is going to be almost in my backyard,'' he said.

About Gwinnett's exploding growth, he said ''We're not building schools fast enough.''

Larsen's mother, Jan, the lone liberal in her family, disagrees with much of her son's politics. But she has signaled her support for his campaign, to be managed by her other son, 24-year-old Travis.

''Every parent wants their child to do well,'' Jan Larsen said. ''I said, 'You might as well enjoy your life as long as you can.' He does enjoy politics.''

Larsen said he's is thinking about graduate school if his political plans don't pan out right away. He's been gathering academic references of late, along with political supporters.

''I've got a short list of professors, in case the campaign doesn't work out,'' he said.